DOHA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th August, 2023) The Iraqi Communications Ministry said on Sunday that it was banning Telegram, a popular messaging application, for refusing to comply with its guidelines on data security.
"The application (Telegram) was banned in line with instructions of higher authorities responsible for national security and protection of citizens' personal data," the ministry's statement read.
Iraq repeatedly asked the Dubai-based company to take down channels that publish sensitive data obtained through leaks from state institutions as well as Iraqi's private details but it did not respond to or act on them, the ministry said.
It argued that Iraqi authorities respected freedoms of expression and communication but stressed that national security came first. Telegram is widely used in Iraq for communication and news sharing.
